Electric connecting plug



Aug. 21, 1928.

J. G. PETERSON ELECTRIC CONNECTING PLUG Filed April 7, 1924 Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHAN G. PETERSON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC CONNECTING PLUG.

Application fi1ed April 7,

This invention relates to electric connecting plugs, and more particularly to such plugs adapted to use as attachment plugs or the like.

It has among its objects to provide a plug of improved construction adaptedto function effectively while enabling the cost of production thereof, both as regards the cost of the material and the cost of manufacturing and assembling the same, to be substantially decreased. Further objects of my invention are to provide an improved plug which, at the same time that it can be very cheaply manufactured and sold, is also exceptionally safe in use and exceedingly rugged, being capableof rough handling 1n manufacture, shipment, or use without breakage. These and other objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown for purposes of'illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings, wherein the invention is illustrated as embodied in an attachment plug.

Referring to said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the inner end of the plug. 7

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the plug.

Fig. 3 is a plan vieW of the inner end of the plug with the disc removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central section of the plug on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the outer end of the plug.

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 3, showing the connection of one of the rivets 11, 12 to the base, and

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the cooperating plug member to which the conductors are usually connected.

In this illustrative construction I have shown a base or body 2 formed of insulating material and preferably, as herein, having its inner or contact carrying end of substantially uniform diameter and disposed substantially in a single plane. Herein, a shell 3 of conducting material and of a short screw 1924. Serial No. 704,639.

type, is fitted over the inner end of this body 2 and supported thereon, preferably as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4:, with an overlying portion or base of the shell resting flatwise against the .substantially flat inner end of the base, the elimination of special necks on both the base and shell being highly advantageous, as hereinafter brought out.

Referring to the contact connections, and more particularly to the improved outside center contact connection, it will be noted that the shell is provided with an opening, herein a segmental opening 4, inside the flat periphery of its inner end supported on the base (Fig. 3) and large enough to permit the passage of and to suitably insulate a center contact hereinafter described. Further, outside the shell 3 and peripherally supported thereon and also extending laterally over the shell base and the inner end of the base 2, a disc 5 is provided. This disc 5 herein, as preferably, is of substantially the diameter of the base, very shallow or thin and flat and formed of suitable insulating material. fiber, which is both cheap and not liable to breakage. Thus the disc 5 is adapted to cooperate with the simple base and shell construction described to enable the shell 3 to be clamped in position simply, cheaply, and effectively. Outside the disc 5 is also provided a relatively high, hollow outstanding central contact boss 6 coaxial with but preferably smaller than the disc 5. This boss. being round and herein slightly conical and provided with a dome having only a small axial aperture therein, is strong and adapted to withstand riveting and abuse, while, being hollow and having no bottom under its dome, it is also simple and utilizes only a very small quantity of brass, enabling it to be very cheaply produced. Herein, this improved boss 6 cooperates with the improved shallow disc 5 to form a simple, cheap, and very effective means of spacing the center contact surface, provided by the inner raised end surface of this boss, from the side contact, provided by the shell 3, the bulk of the spacing being provided by the material. of the boss alone, which is less In a preferred form, it is formed of expensive than an equivalent height of insulation. Thus a maximum of spacing is capable of being provided with the use of a minimum of material at a minimum cost. In the preferred form shown, this boss 6 is more than twice as high as the thin disc, this general proportion giving a construction of maximum cheapness while also giving the desired spacing. It will, however, be understood that I am not limited to such proportions, as it is desirable to use thin a disc is possible while still providing a suiliciently rigid construction. Attention is here also directed to the fact that by using my improved boss or raised central contact, the base of the boss may peripherally reinforce the disc 5 in such manner as to enable an extremely thin and therefore inexpensive disc to be very effectively used with the new and inexpensive boss, the boss acting as a stiffening means for the disc and being so located relative to the axis of the disc as to be able to have a stiffening effect increasing the rigidity of the structure. By thus stiffening a thin disc, it is also made possible to use with it a lighter and hence less expensive shell. without the shell cruinp ling around the edges of the disc. It will further be evident that by using a higher boss it is also possible to shortenthe height of the base used witha disc of a given minimum height, further reducing the cost.

Herein, a tubular rivet 7 is also extended axially inward through the boss and disc 5 and a lateral extension 8 on a cooperating contact 9 extending across the axis of the boss, one end of this rivet herein being suitably riveted over at the top of the boss, while the rivet itself is suitably supported by the base 2. Considering more particularly the connection to the cooperating contact shown in the illustrative construction, it will be noted that the rivet 7 passes through registering perforations in the center disc 5 and in the inner end of a lateral extension 8 on the cooperating contact 9, this extension being of such length as to extend across the center of the plug. As shown, the rivet 7 is also headed over or provided with a suitable enlargement below the lateral extension 8 to improve the contact, Further, it will be noted that in this illustrative conx-atruction this end of the rivet is seated in a suit able shallow transverse groove 8 in the central portion of the inner end of the base 2 so that when the parts are held together the adjacent surfaces of the lateral extension 8 and shell 3 lie substantially in a single plane and form a rigid support for the center of the disc 5. Further, it will be noted that the outer end of the lateral extension 8 extends at a point inside the seat for the disc into a longitudinal passage 10 of uniform rectangular cross section and located inside the periphery of the base 2, wherein the free end of the contact 9 preferably is arranged as shown, normally engaging and pressing against the inner wall of that passage.

Herein, an improved contact connection is also provided with the side contact or shell 8. For this purpose, a contact 13, generally similar to the contact 9, is provided in a passage 16, generally similar to the passage 10 but on the opposite side therefrom of the axis of the base 2. this contact 13 being connected to the shell in an improved manner. As shown, this contact 13 is also provided with a lateral extension 14, generally similar to the lateral extension 8 and like it extending toward the axis of the body 2 but shorter than that extension and also extending in an opposite direction thereto. Further, the upper end of the contact 13 is passed through a slot 13 in the overlying portion of the shell 3 inside the peripheral seats for the shell and disc. Herein, the end of the lateral extension 14; also fits in a depression or seat 15 formed to receive the extension l-t by correspondingly bending down a portion of the shell between the slot l3" and the aperture 4. It will also be noted that the seat 15 is seated in a correspondingly shaped shallow groove 15 in the central portion of the inner end of the base 2. Thus, the construction is such that when the parts are pressed together the adjacent surfaces of the extension 1 1- and shell 3 are in substantially a single plane and form a rigid support for the disc 5 on the end of the base 2. Further, this seat 1? is enabled to establish a proper electrical con nection with the lateral extension 14 and contact 13, while preventing rotation of the shell 3 on the base 2. In the construction illustrated, it will also be noted that the groove 15 is of substantially the same depth as the groove 8 previously mentioned, and that these two grooves are disposed in the portion of the base between the contact passages 10 and 16 and on opposite sides of a septum 15" which, while extending up between the grooves in such manner as to separate the contact portions 8 and 14, does not extend any farther inward than the outer end of the base 2, thereby also enabling the parts to be rigidly clamped together without distortion or breakage during as sembly.

It will be evident that the parts may be secured to the base :2 in various ways to prevent longitudinal separation. In a preferred form, longitudinal separation is prevented by both the rivet T and the use of short rivets 11, .12 molded in the base 2 and projecting from the flat inner end thereof and through suitable registering perforations in the shell and disc and having their inner ends turned over on the inner surfaces of the latter. Such a construction is not only exceptionally rigid and strong and l lt adapted to prevent longitudinal separation, but, through the rivets lland 12 and the interconnection of the parts with the base and shell, is also adapted to prevent relative rotation. The rivets 11 and 12 are also capable of being very cheaply provided, due to the fact that they may be both short and of small diameter.

It will be noted that as a result of my improved construction all of the various parts are enabled to be riveted to the base in a press, and, if desired, in one operation, my improved arrangement producing such a rugged construction that this very cheap and quick method of assembly is made possible without breakage, thereby eliminating all need for using the more slow and expensive spinning process which has heretofore been found necessary to prevent breakage where projecting necks or high molded caps are used. If preferred, however, the riveting may be performed in two operations, the members 9, 5, 7 and 6 being riveted together to form a unit facilitating assembly, and after assembly the'disc 5 being riveted to the base 2 by the laterally spaced rivets 11 and 12 molded in the base 2 and extending upwardly from the base 2 through the apertures in the overlying end portion of the shell 3 and in the disc 5, heretofore described.

In the use of the plug, it will be understood that the plug shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is screwed into its socket in the usual way so as to establish an electrical connection between the center contact boss 6 and its shell 3 with the cooperating contacts in the socket, and that a cooperating plug member 17 shown in Fig. 7 and carrying contacts 18 adapted to enter the apertures 10 and 16 and cooperate with the contacts 9 and 13, is used in connection with it in a well known manner.

As a result of my improved construction it will be observed that it is made possible, in addition to obtaining the advantages above set forth, to provide a raised center contact adapted to cooperate effectively with a center socket contact and of such shape and height as to insure contact therewith even when the screws holding the socket project unduly far, as is frequently the case, while at the same time obviating the possibility of contact of these screws with central contact parts of the plug and the resultant short-circuiting arising from the opposite polarity of the screws and central contact parts. It will also be noted that while obtaining these advantages it is made possible to eliminate the bases with the high, breakable insulating necks and also the high insulating caps of the prior art with their co-operating shallow center contacts, and utilize in lieu thereof to produce my desired spacing function, a simple, strong and ine1- pensive, substantially fiat topped base together with a high raised hollow center contact of a type which may be produced exceedingly cheaply, and an exceedingly thin insulating disc, which is so thin that it may accordinglyv be made of any suitable fiber and accordingly be very cheaply provided, all in such manner as to produce an improved structure, while substantially reducing the cost of manufacture. Also, due to the arrangement of the parts, an exceedingly rugged and rigid construction is provided adapted to be quickly and cheaply assembled with a minimum-of breakage or cracking. Moreover, it will be noted that a construction is provided requiring, not only a minimum of material cost, but a minimum of special shaping of the parts prior to as sembly. These and other advantages of my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

lVhile I have herein specifically described one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this disclosure isfor illustrative purposes and that the structure shown may be modified in various respects without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that it is my intention to include all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment plug comprising an insulating body of substantially uniform diameter at its inner end presenting a substantially flat inner end, a conduct-ing shell fitted on. the inner end thereof, a shallow insulating disc over-lying the inner ends of said shell and body, a hollow outstanding central contact boss outside said disc and of substantially greater height than the latter,contacts in said body insulated from one another and respectively electrically connectable to said shell and boss, and means holding the parts in assembled relation with said contacts respectively electrically connected to said shell and boss.

2. An attachment plug comprising an insulating body of substantially uniform diameter at its inner end presenting a substan ti ally flat inner end, a conducting shell fitted on the inner end thereof, a shallow insulat ing disc overlying the inner ends of said shell and body, a hollow outstanding central contact boss outside said disc and of substantially greater height than the latter, contacts in said body insulated from one another and respectively electrically connectable to said shell and boss, and inwardly extending rivet means supported by the body holding the parts in assembled relation with said contacts respectively electrically connected to said shell and boss.

3. An attachment plug comprising an in sulating body of substantially uniform diameter at its inner end presenting a substantially flat inner end, a conducting shell fitted over the inner end of said body, a shallow insulating disc seated on the inner end of said shell and overlying the inner end of said body, a hollow outstanding central contact boss outside said disc and of substantially greater height than the latter, and cooperating contacts in said body insulated from one another and having lateral extensions extending laterally with respect to the axis of said body between the inner end of the latter and the base of the boss and respectively electrically connected to isaid shell and boss.

4. An attachment plug comprising an insulating body of substantially uniform diameter at its inner end presenting a substantially flat inner end, a conducting shell fitted over the inner end thereof, a shallow insulating disc seated on the inner end of said shell beyond the inner end of said body, a hollow outstanding central contact boss outside said disc and of substantially greater height than the latter, and cooperating con tacts in said body insulated from one another and having lateral extensions extending laterally with respect to the axis of said body between the inner end of the latter and the base of the boss and one short end electrically connected to said shell and one longer end extending across the axis of said body and electrically connected to said boss.

5. An attachment plug comprising an insulating body of substantially uniform diameter at its inner end presenting a substantially fiat inner end, a conducting shell seated on the inner end thereof, a shallow insulating disc seated on the inner end of said shell and overlying the inner end of said body, a hollow outstanding central contact boss outside said disc and of substantially greater height than the latter, and cooperating contacts in said body insulated from one another and having lateral extensions between the inner end of said body and the base of the boss extending in opposite directions toward the center from nearer thereto than the margin of said disc and respectively electrically connected to said shell and boss.

6. An attachment plug comprising an insulating body of substantially uniform diameter at its inner end presenting a substantially flat inner end, a conducting shell fitted over the inner end. thereof, a shallow insulating disc seated on the inner end of said shell beyond the inner end of said body, a hollow outstanding central contact boss outside said disc and of substantially g eater height than the latter, cooperating contacts for said shell and boss in said body insulated from one another and having lateral extensions extending laterally with respect to the body axis and so disposed as to project laterally between the inner end of the body and the base of said boss, and rivet means supported by the inner end of said body holding the parts in assembled relation with said contacts respectively connected to said shell and disc and including a rivet extending through said boss and disc and one of said lateral extensions.

7. In combination, a base having a depression in its upper surface and a threaded conducting shell fitted over the end of said base and having a depressed portion adapted to receive a lateral extension on a cooper-,

9; In combination, a base having a depression in its upper surface and a plurality of contact bores, a threaded conducting shell fitted over the end-of said base having a depressed portion adapted to receive a lateral extension on a cooperating contact and itself seated in said, depression to hold the shell against rotation, said shell having an opening therein over oneof said bores and also having a slot at one end of said depression adapted to. permit a cooperating Contact in the other one of said contact bores extend through said slot and have a lateral extension lie in said depressed portion.

1 0. In combination, a base having a depression in its upper surface and a plurality of contact openings, a threaded conducting shell fitted over the end of saidbase having a depressed portion adapted to receive a lateral extension on a cooperating contact and itself seated in said depression to hold the shell against rotation, said shell also having a slot at one end of said depression and an enlarged aperture at the opposite end thereof, a contact in oneof said contact openings extending through said slot and having a lateral extension lying in said depressed portion, a contact in the other contact opening extending through said enlarged aperture and insulated thereby from said shell, an insulating disc resting on said shell, and raised hollow central contact means outside said disc electrically connected to said last mentioned contact.

11. A connecting plug comprising a body of insulating material, having parallel bores, a. threaded contact shell of conducting material. fitted over an end of the hotly, a

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shallow insulating disc on the base of the contact shell, a boss engaging the disc and furnished with a rivet extending centrally through the disc, and contacts in the respective bores having at their outer ends lateral extensions, one clamped between the body and the disc and the other clamped by the disc against the contact shell, the body having a plurality of rivets incorporated therein and extending through the disc and headed thereover one of the contacts having its lateral extension directly clamped by the central rivet.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

J OHAN G. PETERSON. 

